Andrew Breitbart to GQ: The Presidency is ‘Beneath’ Sarah Palin

Conservative media lightning rod and former “Matt Drudge bitch” Andrew Breitbart is nothing if not quotable, a quality he displays to amusing effect (intentionally and otherwise) in his interview for April’s issue of GQ magazine. Asked why former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R-FNC) wasn’t on his 2012 dream ticket (he picked Allen West and Michele Bachmann), Breitbart responded that the job was “beneath” her. The governorship of Alaska must have been positively subterranean, then.
“It would be my goal for Palin to become Oprah and be the ultimate kingmaker for twenty-odd years,” Breitbart told interviewer Lisa DePaulo. “Oprah anointed Barack Obama.”

Although it sounds rather silly on its face, Breitbart may have hit upon the perfect “Eject!” button for Republican politicians who are put on the spot about Palin’s qualifications to be President. Yeah, she’s too good for that lousy job!

Among Breitbart’s other gems from this interview is the nugget of wisdom that “(t)he Right has focused its energy and money on the political process, and it just kind of shrugged off culture.”

Yes, if only conservatives would get over their timidity, and finally weigh in on cultural issues. I think the distinction Breitbart misses is that conservatives seem to have missed the boat on popular culture, but if he can figure out a way to make Ted Nugent popular again, I tip my cap.

Breitbart does make an interesting point about the difficulty that liberals have had gaining a significant toehold in talk radio, saying “…they don’t have to ever argue their points. Conservatives know what liberals think because we have to swim in their waters.”

While I think my friend Bill Press has a pretty good handle on the problems that liberal radio talkers face, Breitbart has a good point that applies to conservative audiences, as well. It’s not just “swimming in (liberal) waters” that enables conservative talkers to thrive, but the fact that they are providing waters in which those listeners can swim. It’s hard to carve out a niche when you’re in the majority.

Elsewhere in the interview, he takes aim at the “dark souls” of Planned Parenthood, Katie Couric, and Hollywood’s “new casting couch,” the political fundraiser. Having interviewed Andrew several times before, I think Lisa DePaulo deserves some kind of an award for getting so many words in edgewise. You can check out the rest of the interview here.